Virtual environment for sharing information

ABSTRACT

An electronic device providing information through a virtual environment is disclosed. The device includes: a display; and an information providing module functionally connected with the display, wherein the information providing module displays an object corresponding to an external electronic device for the electronic device through the display, obtains information to be output through the external electronic device, and provides contents corresponding to the information in relation to a region, on which the object is displayed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based on and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 toKorean Patent Application No. 10-2014-0154367, filed Nov. 7, 2014, whichis incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The disclosure relates to an electronic device, and for example, to anapparatus and a method for sharing information through a virtualenvironment.

2. Description of Prior Art

Recently, electronic devices have been developed into various forms,such as a portable device (for example, a smart phone and a tablet PC)or a wearable device (for example, a smart watch and a head-mounteddevice)), as well as a smart home appliance (for example, a smarttelevision and a game console). The electronic devices having variousforms may exchange information. For example, a smart television, a smartphone, and a notebook computer may be connected with each other througha network. The smart phone may transmit a picture stored in a smartphone to a smart television. In this case, a user of the smarttelevision may check the picture stored in the smart phone through thesmart television. Further, a notebook computer may transmit a movie tothe smart television. In this case, the user of the smart television maywatch the movie, instead of the picture, through the smart television

According to the related art, an electronic device may provide a userwith contents obtained from an external electronic device. In this case,the electronic device may provide the contents without discriminatingthe contents from other previously obtained contents. Accordingly, itmay be difficult for a user to discriminate the contents obtained fromthe external electronic device from other contents. For example, it isdifficult for a user to recognize information about a device, from whichthe contents are obtained.

When the electronic device obtains a plurality of contents from aplurality of external electronic devices, respectively, the electronicdevice may not simultaneously provide the user with the plurality ofcontents in the related art. Accordingly, the user is inconvenienced byneeding to first check one of the plurality of contents, and then checkother contents.

The electronic device may provide a user with various virtualenvironments so that the user may view a 2D or 3D image. For example,the electronic device may provide a user with a new environmentregardless of a space, in which a user is actually located. Accordingly,the user may more vividly view the 2D or 3D image based on a virtualenvironment.

However, the electronic device in the related art cannot reflect aspace, in which a user is actually located, to a virtual environment.For example, since the electronic device is capable of using only a setimage, the electronic device cannot represent various electronic devices(for example, a television, a refrigerator, or a computer) located in anactual space on a virtual environment. Accordingly, when a user uses avirtual environment, the user may not directly control an electronicdevice located in an actual space.

SUMMARY

An example of the disclosure provides an electronic device and a methodcapable of relating contents obtained from an external electronic deviceto an object corresponding to the external electronic device through avirtual environment and providing the obtained contents. Accordingly,the electronic device may discriminate the contents obtained from theexternal electronic device from other contents and provide the obtainedcontents through the virtual environment.

Another example of the disclosure provides an electronic device and amethod capable of relating contents obtained from a plurality ofexternal electronic devices to a plurality of objects corresponding tothe plurality of external electronic devices, respectively, andsimultaneously providing the obtained contents.

Another example of the disclosure provides an electronic device and amethod capable of enabling a user to directly control electronic devicesdisposed in an actual space through a virtual environment by reflectinga space, in which the user is actually located, to the virtualenvironment.

In accordance with an example of the disclosure, an electronic device isprovided. The electronic device includes: a display; and an informationproviding module in the form of processing circuitry functionallyconnected with the display, wherein the information providing module isconfigured to display an object corresponding to an external electronicdevice for the electronic device through the display, to obtaininformation to be output through the external electronic device, and toprovide contents corresponding to the information in relation to aregion, on which the object is displayed.

The electronic device and the method according to various examples mayprovide, for example, contents obtained from an external electronicdevice to a user in relation to an object corresponding to the externalelectronic device, thereby enabling the user to discriminate thecontents obtained from the external electronic device from othercontents based on the object.

The electronic device and the method according to various examples maysimultaneously provide, for example, a plurality of contents obtainedfrom a plurality of external electronic devices through a plurality ofobjects corresponding to the plurality of external electronic devices,respectively, thereby reducing or overcoming inconvenience caused when auser needs to check each of the plurality of contents.

The electronic device and the method according to various examples mayprovide, for example, contents obtained through an external electronicdevice through a virtual environment, thereby providing a service linkedwith the external electronic device through the virtual environment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the disclosurewill be more apparent from the following detailed description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like referencenumerals refer to like elements, and wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates an example use environment of a plurality ofelectronic devices;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example electronic device;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example electronic device;

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of an actual use environment, in which anelectronic device is linked with an external electronic device;

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a virtual environment provided by anelectronic device;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an example information providingmodule;

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a user interface provided through anelectronic device;

FIG. 8 illustrates an example of a user interface provided through theelectronic device;

FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a user interface provided through theelectronic device;

FIG. 10 illustrates an example of a user interface provided through theelectronic device;

FIG. 11 illustrates an example of a user interface provided through theelectronic device; and

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating an example method for providinginformation by an electronic device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, the disclosure will be described with reference to theaccompanying drawings. Although example embodiments are illustrated inthe drawings and related detailed descriptions are discussed in thedisclosure, the disclosure may have various modifications and severalexamples. However, various examples of the disclosure are not limited toan example implementation form and it should be understood that thedisclosure includes all changes and/or equivalents and substitutesincluded in the spirit and scope of various examples of the disclosure.In connection with descriptions of the drawings, similar components aredesignated by the same reference numeral.

The term “include” or “may include” which may be used in describingvarious examples of the disclosure refers to the existence of acorresponding disclosed function, operation or component which can beused in various examples of the disclosure and does not limit one ormore additional functions, operations, or components. In variousexamples of the disclosure, the terms such as “include” or “have” may beconstrued to denote a certain characteristic, number, step, operation,constituent element, component or a combination thereof, but may not beconstrued to exclude the existence of or a possibility of addition ofone or more other characteristics, numbers, steps, operations,constituent elements, components or combinations thereof.

In various examples of the disclosure, the expression “or” or “at leastone of A or/and B” includes any or all of combinations of words listedtogether. For example, the expression “A or B” or “at least A or/and B”may include A, may include B, or may include both A and B.

The expression “1”, “2”, “first”, or “second” used in various examplesof the disclosure may modify various components of the various examplesbut does not limit the corresponding components. For example, the aboveexpressions do not limit the sequence and/or importance of thecomponents. The expressions may be used for distinguishing one componentfrom other components. For example, a first user device and a seconduser device indicate different user devices although both of them areuser devices. For example, without departing from the scope of thedisclosure, a first structural element may be referred to as a secondstructural element. Similarly, the second structural element also may bereferred to as the first structural element.

When it is stated that a component is “coupled to” or “connected to”another component, the component may be directly coupled or connected toanother component or another component may exist between the componentand another component. In contrast, when it is stated that a componentis “directly coupled to” or “directly connected to” another component, acomponent does not exist between the component and another component.

The terms used in describing various examples of the disclosure aremerely examples for describing a given embodiment but do not limit thevarious examples of the disclosure. Singular forms are intended toinclude plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

Unless defined differently, all terms used herein, which includetechnical terminologies or scientific terminologies, have the samemeaning as that understood by a person skilled in the art to which thedisclosure belongs. Such terms as those defined in a generally useddictionary are to be interpreted to have the meanings equal to thecontextual meanings in the relevant field of art, and are not to beinterpreted to have ideal or excessively formal meanings unless clearlydefined in the description.

An electronic device according to examples of the disclosure may be adevice including a communication function. For example, the electronicdevice may be one or a combination of a smart phone, a tablet PersonalComputer (PC), a mobile phone, a video phone, an e-book reader, adesktop PC, a laptop PC, a netbook computer, a Personal DigitalAssistant (PDA), a camera, a wearable device (for example, aHead-Mounted-Device (HMD) such as electronic glasses, electronicclothes, and electronic bracelet, an electronic necklace, an electronicappcessary, an electronic tattoo, and a smart watch.

According to some examples, the electronic device may be a smart homeappliance having a communication function. The smart home appliance mayinclude at least one of a TeleVision (TV), a Digital Video Disk (DVD)player, an audio player, an air conditioner, a cleaner, an oven, amicrowave oven, a washing machine, an air cleaner, a set-top box, a TVbox (for example, Samsung HomeSync™, Apple TV™, or Google TV™), gameconsoles, an electronic dictionary, an electronic key, a camcorder, andan electronic frame.

According to some examples, the electronic device may include at leastone of various types of medical devices (for example, Magnetic ResonanceAngiography (MRA), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computed Tomography(CT), a scanner, an ultrasonic device and the like), a navigationdevice, a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, an Event DataRecorder (EDR), a Flight Data Recorder (FDR), a vehicle infotainmentdevice, electronic equipment for a ship (for example, a navigationdevice for ship, a gyro compass and the like), avionics, a securitydevice, a head unit for a vehicle, an industrial or home robot, anAutomatic Teller Machine (ATM) of financial institutions, and a Point OfSale (POS) device of shops.

According to some examples, the electronic device may include at leastone of furniture or a part of a building/structure, an electronic board,an electronic signature receiving device, a projector, and various typesof measuring devices (for example, a water meter, an electricity meter,a gas meter, a radio wave meter and the like) including a camerafunction. The electronic device according to various examples of thedisclosure may be one or a combination of the above described variousdevices. Further, the electronic device according to various examples ofthe disclosure may be a flexible device. It will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art that the electronic device according to variousexamples of the disclosure is not limited to the above describeddevices.

Hereinafter, an electronic device according to various examples of thedisclosure will be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings. The term “user” used in various examples may refer to a personwho uses an electronic device or a device (for example, an artificialintelligence electronic device) which uses an electronic device.

According to an example of the disclosure, a screen of an electronicdevice may be split into at least two windows according to a predefinedsplit manner and displayed through a display of an electronic device.The windows may be referred to as split windows. According to anexample, the split windows refer to windows displayed on a display of anelectronic display not to be superposed one on another.

According to an example, a popup window may refer to a window displayedon a display of an electronic device to hide or to be superposed on aportion of a screen under execution.

According to an example of the disclosure, an electronic device using asplit window and a popup window is capable of displaying two or moreapplication execution screens or function execution screens. Thus, thesplit windows and the popup window may be referred to as a multi-window.

An electronic device according to various examples will be describedwith reference to the accompanying drawings. As used herein, the term“user” may indicate a person who uses an electronic device or a device(e.g., an artificial intelligence electronic device) that uses anelectronic device. An electronic device 101 within a network environment100 according to various examples will be described with reference toFIG. 1. The electronic device 101 may include an information providingmodule 110 in the form of processing circuitry, a bus 120, a processor130, a memory 140, an input/output interface 160, a display 170, and acommunication interface 180. In some examples, the electronic device 101may omit at least one of the above elements or may further include otherelements.

The information providing module 110 may be configured to process atleast some of the information obtained from other elements (for example,the processor 130, the memory 140, the input/output interface 160, andthe communication interface 180), and provide the user with the obtainedinformation by various methods. For example, the information providingmodule or processing circuitry 110 may be configured to display anobject corresponding to an external electronic device (for example, theelectronic devices 102 and 104 or the server 106) through the display170 functionally connected with the electronic device 101 using theprocessor 130 or independently from the processor 130. According to anexample, the object may have an image corresponding to an appearance ofan external electronic device.

According to an example, the information providing module 110 mayprovide information outputtable by an external electronic device (forexample, the electronic device 102) through at least one of the objectcorresponding to the external electronic device displayed on the display170 or the external electronic device depending on whether theelectronic device 101 is detached from or attached to the user. Forexample, the external electronic device may be a television. Theinformation providing module 110 may provide (for example, display) atleast some of information (for example, an image, text, a sound, ornotification information) outputtable through the television on apartial area of the display 170, on which the object having a televisionimage corresponding to the television is displayed. Additionalinformation associated with the information providing module 110 will bedescribed below in conjunction with FIGS. 4 to 12.

The bus 120 may be a circuit connecting the above described componentsand transmitting communication (for example, a control message) betweenthe above described components.

The processor 130 may include one or more a CPU (central processing unit(CPU)), application processors (application processor (AP)), orcommunication processors (communication processor (CP)). The Processor130, for example, may be configured to execute the operation or dataprocessing related to control and/or communication of at least one theother components of the electronic device 101.

The memory 140 stores commands or data received from the processor 130or other components of the electronic device 101 or generated by theprocessor 130 or other components of the electronic device 101. Thememory 140 may include programming modules 150, for example, a kernel151, middleware 153, an Application Programming Interface (API) 155, andan application 157. Each of the aforementioned programming modules maybe implemented by software, firmware, hardware, or a combination of twoor more thereof. The kernel 151 controls or manages system resources(for example, the bus 120, the processor 130, or the memory 140) usedfor executing an operation or function implemented by the remainingother programming modules, for example, the middleware 153, the API 155,or the application 157. Further, the kernel 151 provides an interfacefor accessing individual components of the electronic device 101 fromthe middleware 153, the API 155, or the application 157 to control ormanage the components. The middleware 153 performs a relay function ofallowing the API 155 or the application 157 to communicate with thekernel 151 to exchange data. Further, in operation requests receivedfrom the application 157, the middleware 153 performs a control for theoperation requests (for example, scheduling or load balancing) by usinga method of assigning a priority, by which system resources (forexample, the bus 120, the processor 130, the memory 140 and the like) ofthe electronic device 101 can be used, to the application 157.

The API 155 may, for example, be an interface by which the application157 can control a function provided by the kernel 141 or the middleware153 and includes, for example, at least one interface or function (forexample, command) for a file control, a window control, imageprocessing, or a character control

The input/output interface 160 can receive, for example, a commandand/or data from a user, and transfer the received command and/or datato the processor 130 and/or the memory 140 through the bus 120. Examplesof the display 170 may include a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), aLight-Emitting Diode (LED) display, an Organic Light-Emitting Diode(OLED) display, a MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) display, and anelectronic paper display, etc. The display 170, for example, may displayvarious contents (e.g., text, images, videos, icons, or symbols) to theuser. The display 170 may include a touch screen and receive, forexample, a touch, gesture, proximity, or hovering input using anelectronic pen or the user's body part.

The communication interface 180 may enable communication, for example,between the electronic device 101 and an external device (e.g., thefirst external electronic device 102, the second external electronicdevice 104, or the server 106). For example, the communication interface180 may be connected to a network 162 through wireless or wiredcommunication to communicate with the external device (e.g., the secondexternal electronic device 104 or the server 106).

The wireless communication may use at least one of, for example, LongTerm Evolution (LTE), LTE-Advance (LTE-A), Code Division Multiple Access(CDMA), Wideband CDMA (WCDMA), Universal Mobile TelecommunicationsSystem (UMTS), WiBro (Wireless Broadband), and Global System for MobileCommunications (GSM), as a cellular communication protocol. In addition,the wireless communication may include, for example, short rangecommunication 164. The short-range communication 164 may include atleast one of, for example, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Near Field Communication(NFC), infrared communication, and Global Positioning System (GPS). Thewired communication may include at least one of, for example, aUniversal Serial Bus (USB), a High Definition Multimedia Interface(HDMI), Recommended Standard 232 (RS-232), and a Plain Old TelephoneService (POTS). The network 162 may, for example, include at least oneof communication networks, such as a computer network (e.g., a LAN or aWAN), the Internet, and a telephone network.

At least one of the first and second external electronic devices 102 and104 may be the same or a different type of device from the electronicdevice 101. According to an example, the server 106 may include a groupof one or more servers. According to various examples, all or some ofthe operations performed in the electronic device 101 may be performedin another electronic device or a plurality of electronic devices (e.g.,the electronic devices 102 and 104 or the server 106). According to anexample, when the electronic device 101 has to perform some functions orservices automatically or in response to a request, the electronicdevice 101 may make a request for performing at least some functionsrelating thereto to another device (e.g., the electronic device 102 or104 or the server 106) instead of performing the functions or servicesby itself.

The other electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 102 or 104 orthe server 106) may carry out the requested functions or the additionalfunctions and transfer the result to the electronic device 101. Theelectronic device 101 may process the received result as it is oradditionally provide the requested functions or services. To this end,for example, cloud computing, distributed computing, or client-servercomputing technology may be used.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example electronic device 201.The electronic device 201 may, for example, include a whole or a part ofthe electronic device 101 illustrated in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 2,the electronic device 201 may, for example, include one or moreProcessors (for example, Application Processors (APs)) 210, acommunication module 220, a Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) card224, a memory 230, a sensor module 240 including various sensors, aninput device 250, a display 260, an interface 270, an audio module 280,a camera module 291, a power managing module 295, a battery 296, anindicator 297, and a motor 298.

The processor 210 operates an operating system (OS) or an applicationprogram so as to control a plurality of hardware or software componentelements connected to the processor 210 and execute various dataprocessing and calculations including multimedia data. The processor 210may be implemented by, for example, a System on Chip (SoC). According toan example, the processor 210 may further include a Graphic ProcessingUnit (GPU). The communication module 220 may have a configuration thesame or similar to that of the communication interface 180 of FIG. 1.The communication module 220 may include, for example, a cellular module221, a Wi-Fi module 223, a Bluetooth module 225, a GPS module 227, anNFC module 228, and a Radio Frequency (RF) module 229.

The cellular module 221 may provide a voice call, image call, a textmessage service, or an Internet service through, for example, acommunication network. According to an example, the cellular module 221may distinguish and authenticate the electronic device 201 within acommunication network by using a subscriber identification module 224(for example, the SIM card). According to an example of the disclosure,the cellular module 221 may perform at least some of the functions thatthe processor 210 may provide. According to an example, the cellularmodule 221 may include a Communication Processor (CP).

At least one of the Wi-Fi module 223, the Bluetooth module 225, the GPSmodule 227, and the NFC module 228 may be, for example, a processor forprocessing data transceived through a corresponding module. According toan example, at least some (two or more) of the cellular module 221, theWi-Fi module 223, the Bluetooth module 225, the GPS module 227, and theNFC module 228 may be included in one Integrated Chip (IC) or ICpackage.

The RF module 229 may transmit/receive, for example, a communicationsignal (for example, an RF signal). The RF module 229 may include, forexample, a transceiver, a Power Amplifier Module (PAM), a frequencyfilter, a Low Noise Amplifier (LNA), or an antenna. According to anotherexample, at least one of the cellular module 221, the Wi-Fi module 223,the BT module 225, the GPS module 227, and the NFC module 228 maytransmit/receive an RF signal through a separate RF module.

The subscriber identification module 224 may include, for example, acard including a subscriber identification module and/or an embeddedSIM, and may contain unique identification information (e.g., anIntegrated Circuit Card Identifier (ICCID)) or subscriber information(e.g., an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI)).

The memory 230 (for example, the memory 140) may include, for example,an internal memory 232 or an external memory 234. An internal memory 232may include at least one of a volatile memory (for example, a DynamicRandom Access Memory (DRAM), a Static RAM (SRAM), a Synchronous DynamicRAM (SDRAM), and the like, and a non-volatile memory (for example, a OneTime Programmable Read Only Memory (OTPROM)), a Programmable ROM (PROM),an Erasable and Programmable ROM (EPROM), an Electrically Erasable andProgrammable ROM (EEPROM), a mask ROM, a flash ROM, a flash memory (forexample, a NAND flash memory or a NOR flash memory), a hard disc drive,a Solid State Drive (SSD), and the like.

An external memory 234 may further include a flash drive, for example, aCompact Flash (CF), a Secure Digital (SD), a Micro Secure Digital(Micro-SD), a Mini Secure Digital (Mini-SD), an eXtreme Digital (xD), aMulti Media Card (MMC), a memory stick, or the like. The external memory234 may be functionally and/or physically connected to the electronicdevice 201 through various interfaces.

The sensor module 240 may, for example, include various sensorsconfigured to measure a physical quantity or detect an operation stateof the electronic device 201, and may convert the measured or detectedinformation into an electrical signal. For example, the sensor module240 may include at least one of a gesture sensor 240A, a gyro sensor240B, an atmospheric pressure sensor 240C, a magnetic sensor 240D, anacceleration sensor 240E, a grip sensor 240F, a proximity sensor 240G, acolor sensor 240H (for example, a Red/Green/Blue (RGB) sensor), abio-sensor 240I, a temperature/humidity sensor 240J, an illuminationsensor 240K, and an Ultra Violet (UV) sensor 240M. Additionally oralternatively, the sensor module 240 may include, for example, an E-nosesensor, an electromyography (EMG) sensor, an electroencephalogram (EEG)sensor, an electrocardiogram (ECG) sensor, an Infrared (IR) sensor, aniris sensor, and/or a fingerprint sensor. The sensor module 240 mayfurther include a control circuit for controlling one or more sensorsincluded therein. In some examples of the disclosure, an electronicdevice 201 may further include a processor configured to control thesensor module 240 as a part of or separately from the processor 210, andmay control the sensor module 240 while the processor 210 is in a sleepstate.

The input device 250 may include, for example, a touch panel 252, a(digital) pen sensor 254, a key 256, or an ultrasonic input device 258.The touch panel 252 may use at least one of, for example, a capacitivetype, a resistive type, an infrared type, and an ultrasonic type. Also,the touch panel 252 may further include a control circuit. The touchpanel 252 may further include a tactile layer and provide a tactilereaction to the user.

The (digital) pen sensor 254 may include, for example, a recognitionsheet which is a part of the touch panel or is separated from the touchpanel. The key 256 may include, for example, a physical button, anoptical key or a keypad. The ultrasonic input device 258 may detectultrasonic waves generated by an input tool through a microphone (forexample, a microphone 288) and identify data corresponding to thedetected ultrasonic waves.

The display 260 (for example, the display 170) may include a panel 262,a hologram device 264 or a projector 266. The panel 262 may include aconfiguration identical or similar to that of the display 170illustrated in FIG. 1. The panel 262 may be implemented to be, forexample, flexible, transparent, or wearable. The panel 262 and the touchpanel 252 may be implemented as one module. The hologram 264 may show athree dimensional image in the air using an interference of light. Theprojector 266 may display an image by projecting light onto a screen.The screen may be located, for example, inside or outside the electronicdevice 201. According to an example, the display 260 may further includea control circuit for controlling the panel 262, the hologram device264, or the projector 266.

The interface 270 may include, for example, a High-Definition MultimediaInterface (HDMI) 272, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) 274, an opticalinterface 276, or a D-subminiature (D-sub) 278. The interface 270 may beincluded in, for example, the communication interface 180 illustrated inFIG. 1. Additionally or alternatively, the interface 270 may include,for example, a Mobile High-definition Link (MHL) interface, a SecureDigital (SD) card/Multi-Media Card (MMC) interface, or an Infrared DataAssociation (IrDA) standard interface.

The audio module 280 bi-directionally converts a sound and an electronicsignal. At least some components of the audio module 280 may be includedin, for example, the input/output interface 160 illustrated in FIG. 1.The audio module 280 processes sound information input or outputthrough, for example, a speaker 282, a receiver 284, an earphone 286,the microphone 288 or the like.

The camera module 291 is a device which can photograph a still image anda video. According to an example, the camera module 291 may include oneor more image sensors (for example, a front sensor or a back sensor), anImage Signal Processor (ISP) (not shown) or a flash (for example, an LEDor xenon lamp).

The power managing module 295 manages power of the electronic device200. Although not illustrated, the power managing module 295 mayinclude, for example, a Power Management Integrated Circuit (PMIC), acharger Integrated Circuit (IC), or a battery or fuel gauge.

The PMIC may be mounted to, for example, an integrated circuit or an SoCsemiconductor. A charging method may, for example, include wired andwireless methods. The charger IC charges a battery and prevent overvoltage or over current from flowing from a charger. According to anexample, the charger IC includes a charger IC for at least one of thewired charging method and the wireless charging method. The wirelesscharging method may include, for example, a magnetic resonance method, amagnetic induction method and an electromagnetic wave method, andadditional circuits for wireless charging, for example, circuits such asa coil loop, a resonant circuit, a rectifier or the like may be added.

The battery gauge measures, for example, a remaining quantity of thebattery 296, or a voltage, a current, or a temperature during charging.The battery 296 may store or generate electricity and supply power tothe electronic device 200 by using the stored or generated electricity.The battery 296 may include a rechargeable battery or a solar battery.

The indicator 297 shows particular statuses of the electronic device 200or a part (for example, AP 210) of the electronic device 200, forexample, a booting status, a message status, a charging status and thelike. The motor 298 converts an electrical signal to a mechanicalvibration.

Although not illustrated, the electronic device 200 may include aprocessing unit in the form of a processor (for example, GPU) forsupporting a module TV. The processing unit for supporting the mobile TVmay process, for example, media data according to a standard of DigitalMultimedia Broadcasting (DMB), Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB), mediaflow or the like.

Each of the components of the electronic device according to variousexamples of the disclosure may be implemented by one or more componentsand the name of the corresponding component may vary depending on a typeof the electronic device. The electronic device according to variousexamples of the disclosure may include at least one of the abovedescribed components, a few of the components may be omitted, oradditional components may be further included. Also, some of thecomponents of the electronic device according to various examples of thedisclosure may be combined to form a single entity, and thus mayequivalently execute functions of the corresponding components beforebeing combined.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example program module.According to an example, a program module 310 (for example, the program150) may include an Operating System (OS) for controlling resourcesrelated to the electronic device (for example, the electronic device101) and/or various applications (for example, application programs 157)executed in the operating system. The operating system may be, forexample, Android, iOS, Windows, Symbian, Tizen, Bada, or the like.

The program module 310 may include a kernel 320, middleware 330, anApplication Programming Interface (API) 360, and/or an application 370.At least some of the program module 310 may be preloaded on theelectronic device, or may be downloaded from an external electronicdevice (e.g., the electronic device 102 or 104, or the server 106).

The kernel 320 (e.g., the kernel 151) may include, for example, a systemresource manager 321 and/or a device driver 323. The system resourcemanager 321 may perform the control, allocation, retrieval, or the likeof system resources. According to an example of the disclosure, thesystem resource manager 321 may include a process manager, a memorymanager, a file system manager, or the like. The device driver 323 mayinclude, for example, a display driver, a camera driver, a Bluetoothdriver, a shared memory driver, a USB driver, a keypad driver, a Wi-Fidriver, an audio driver, or an Inter-Process Communication (IPC) driver.

The middleware 330 may, for example, provide a function required by theapplications 370 in common or provide various functions to theapplications 370 through the API 360 so that the applications 370 canefficiently use limited system resources within the electronic device.According to an example, the middleware 330 (for example, the middleware153) may include, for example, at least one of a runtime library 335, anapplication manager 341, a window manager 342, a multimedia manager 343,a resource manager 344, a power manager 345, a database manager 346, apackage manager 347, a connectivity manager 348, a notification manager349, a location manager 350, a graphic manager 351, and a securitymanager 352.

The runtime library 335 may include a library module that a compileruses in order to add a new function through a programming language whilethe applications 370 are being executed. The runtime library 335 mayperform input/output management, memory management, the functionalityfor an arithmetic function, or the like.

The application manager 341 may manage, for example, the life cycle ofat least one of the applications 370. The window manager 342 may manageGraphical User Interface (GUI) resources used for the screen. Themultimedia manager 343 may determine a format required to reproducevarious media files, and may encode or decode a media file by using acoder/decoder (codec) appropriate for the corresponding format. Theresource manager 344 may manage resources, such as a source code, amemory, a storage space, and the like of at least one of theapplications 370.

The power manager 345 may operate together with a Basic Input/OutputSystem (BIOS) to manage a battery or power and may provide powerinformation required for the operation of the electronic device. Thedatabase manager 346 may generate, search for, and/or change a databaseto be used by at least one of the applications 370. The package manager347 may manage the installation or update of an application distributedin the form of a package file.

The connectivity manager 348 may manage a wireless connection such as,for example, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. The notification manager 349 maydisplay or notify of an event, such as an arrival message, anappointment, a proximity notification, and the like, in such a manner asnot to disturb the user. The location manager 350 may manage locationinformation of the electronic device. The graphic manager 351 may managea graphic effect, which is to be provided to the user, or a userinterface related to the graphic effect. The security manager 352 mayprovide various security functions required for system security, userauthentication, and the like. According to an example, when theelectronic device (e.g., the electronic device 101) has a telephone callfunction, the middleware 330 may further include a telephony manager formanaging a voice call function or a video call function of theelectronic device.

The middleware 330 may include a middleware module that forms acombination of various functions of the above-described elements. Themiddleware 330 may provide a module specialized for each type of OS inorder to provide a differentiated function. Also, the middleware 330 maydynamically delete some of the existing elements, or may add newelements.

The API 360 (e.g., the API 155) may, for example, be a set of APIprogramming functions, and may be provided with a differentconfiguration according to an OS. For example, in the case of Android oriOS, one API set may be provided for each platform. In the case ofTizen, for example, two or more API sets may be provided for eachplatform.

The applications 370 (for example, the application programs 157) mayinclude, for example, one or more applications which can providefunctions such as home 371, dialer 372, SMS/MMS 373, Instant Message(IM) 374, browser 375, camera 376, alarm 377, contacts 378, voice dialer379, email 380, calendar 381, media player 382, album 383, clock 384,health care (for example, measure exercise quantity or blood sugar), orenvironment information (for example, atmospheric pressure, humidity, ortemperature information).

According to an example, the applications 370 may include an application(hereinafter, referred to as an “information exchange application” forconvenience of description) supporting information exchange between theelectronic device (e.g., the electronic device 101) and an externalelectronic device (e.g., the electronic device 102 or 104). Theapplication associated with information exchange may include, forexample, a notification relay application for forwarding specificinformation to an external electronic device, or a device managementapplication for managing an external electronic device.

For example, the notification relay application may include a functionof delivering, to the external electronic device (e.g., the electronicdevice 102 or 104), notification information generated by otherapplications (e.g., an SMS/MMS application, an email application, ahealth care application, an environmental information application, etc.)of the electronic device 101. Further, the notification relayapplication may receive notification information from, for example, anexternal electronic device and provide the received notificationinformation to a user.

For example, the device management application may manage (for example,install, delete, or update) at least one function of an externalelectronic device (for example, the electronic devices 102 and 104)communicating with the electronic device (for example, a function ofturning on/off the external electronic device itself (or somecomponents) or a function of adjusting luminance (or a resolution) ofthe display), applications operating in the external electronic device,or services provided by the external electronic device (for example, acall service and a message service).

According to an example, the applications 370 may include applications(for example, a health care application of a mobile medical appliance orthe like) designated according to attributes of the external electronicdevice 102 or 104. According to an example, the application 370 mayinclude an application received from the external electronic device(e.g., the server 106, or the electronic device 102 or 104). Accordingto an example, the application 370 may include a preloaded applicationor a third party application which can be downloaded from the server.Names of the elements of the program module 310, according to theabove-described examples, may change depending on the type of OS.

According to various examples, at least some of the program module 310may be implemented in software, firmware, hardware, or a combination oftwo or more thereof. At least some of the program module 310 may beimplemented (e.g., executed) by, for example, the processor (e.g., theprocessor 210). At least some of the program module 310 may include, forexample, a module, a program, a routine, a set of instructions, and/or aprocess for performing one or more functions.

The term “module” as used herein may, for example, mean a unit includingone of hardware, software, and firmware or a combination of two or moreof them. The “module” may be interchangeably used with, for example, theterm “unit”, “logic”, “logical block”, “component”, or “circuit”. The“module” may be a minimum unit of an integrated component element or apart thereof. The “module” may be a minimum unit for performing one ormore functions or a part thereof. The “module” may be mechanically orelectronically implemented. For example, the “module” according to thedisclosure may include at least one of an Application-SpecificIntegrated Circuit (ASIC) chip, a Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA),and a programmable-logic device for performing operations which havebeen known or are to be developed hereinafter.

According to various examples, at least some of the devices (forexample, modules or functions thereof) or the method (for example,operations) according to the disclosure may be implemented by a commandstored in a computer-readable storage medium in a programming moduleform. The instruction, when executed by a processor (e.g., the processor130), may cause the one or more processors to execute the functioncorresponding to the instruction. The computer-readable storage mediummay be, for example, the memory 140.

The computer readable recoding medium may include a hard disk, a floppydisk, magnetic media (for example, a magnetic tape), optical media (forexample, a Compact Disc Read Only Memory (CD-ROM) and a DigitalVersatile Disc (DVD)), magneto-optical media (for example, a flopticaldisk), a hardware device (for example, a Read Only Memory (ROM), aRandom Access Memory (RAM), a flash memory), and the like. In addition,the program instructions may include high class language codes, whichcan be executed in a computer by using an interpreter, as well asmachine codes made by a compiler. The aforementioned hardware deviceaccording to various examples may be configured to be operated as one ormore software modules in order to perform the operation of thedisclosure, and vice versa.

The module or the programming module, e.g., processing circuitry,according to various examples may include one or more of theaforementioned components or may further include other additionalcomponents, or some of the aforementioned components may be omitted.Operations executed by a module, a programming module, or othercomponent elements according to various examples may be executedsequentially, in parallel, repeatedly, or in a heuristic manner.Further, some operations may be executed according to another order ormay be omitted, or other operations may be added. The examples disclosedherein are suggested for describing and helping understanding ofdisclosed technical contents, and do not limit the scope of thetechnology described in the disclosure. Accordingly, the scope of thedisclosure should be construed as including all modifications or variousother examples based on the technical idea of the disclosure.Hereinafter, information related to an apparatus and a method ofproviding information by using an object corresponding to an externalelectronic device (for example, the electronic devices 102 and 104, orthe server 106 are provided with reference to FIGS. 4 to 12.

Hereinafter, an actual use environment and a virtual environmentcorresponding to the actual use environment will be described withreference to FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 4 illustrates an example of an actualuse environment 400, in which an electronic device (for example, theelectronic device 101) is linked with an external electronic device (forexample, the electronic devices 102 and 104, and the server 106) withina designated space, and FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a virtualenvironment 500 provided by an electronic device (for example, theelectronic device 101).

Referring to FIG. 4, an actual use environment 400 may be anenvironment, in which a plurality of electronic devices located within aspace is linked with each other to provide a user 410 with information,based on the space in which the user 410 is located. For example, if theuser 410 is located in, for example, a living room, the actual useenvironment 400 may be an environment, in which a plurality ofelectronic devices 401 (413 to 445) located in the living room providesthe user 410 with information. For another example, although notillustrated, if the user 410 is located in an office, the actual useenvironment 400 may be an environment providing the user 410 withinformation through the linkage of a plurality of electronic deviceslocated in the office.

Referring to FIG. 4, the user 410 may wear a Head-Mounted Device (HMD)401 (for example, the electronic device 101) in a living room and lookat a partial area 490 of the living room. For example, the externalelectronic devices 413 to 445 for the HMD 401 may be located in theliving room. The external electronic devices 413 to 445 may be, forexample, an electronic watch 413, an electronic tattoo 415, a lighting420, speakers 423-1 and 423-2, a television 425, an interphone 427, anair conditioner 429, an electronic drawer 430, a smart blind 433, asmart phone 440, a tablet PC 443, or a laptop PC 445. According tovarious examples, the external electronic devices 413 to 445 are notlimited to the aforementioned devices, and may include variouselectronic devices. According to various examples, the electronic device401 is not limited to the illustrated HMD 401, and may be variousdevices capable of providing the user 410 with visual information.

According to an example, at least some of the electronic device 401 andthe external electronic devices 413 to 445 may be connected with eachother through wired or wireless communication. For example, at leastsome of the electronic device 401 and the external electronic devices413 to 445 may be directly connected through a local network including ahome network or Device to Device (D2D) communication.

According to an example, at least some of the external electronicdevices 413 to 445 may output information (for example, a notificationor contents). For example, the television 425 may output a video 465.The tablet PC 443 may output text 483. The laptop PC 445 may output adocument 485. Further, the electronic drawer 430 may output anotification notifying that a drawer is opened. The smart phone 440 mayoutput a notification notifying a reception of a text message. Forexample, the notification may be a notification sound, vibration, scent,light, waves corresponding to a brainwave of a person, or an image, andthe external electronic devices 413 to 445 may output at least one ofthe aforementioned notifications through which the user is capable ofrecognizing states or locations of the external electronic devices 413to 445.

According to an example, based on information, which has been output oris to be output through the external electronic devices 413 to 445, theelectronic device 401 may provide the user 410 with contentscorresponding to the information together with a virtual environment.For example, the notification provided by the electronic drawer 430 andnotifying that the drawer is opened may be provided in a form of animage through the electronic device 401. For example, although notillustrated, the image may be displayed at least a part of a region, inwhich an object corresponding to the electronic drawer 430 displayed onthe virtual environment is displayed.

Referring to FIG. 5, according to an example, a virtual environment 500may be provided through an electronic device 501 (for example, a display(for example, the display 170) functionally connected with theelectronic device 501). The virtual environment 500 may include an image(for example, a still image or a video) identical or similar to anactual use environment (for example, the actual use environment 400), inwhich the electronic device 501 or external electronic devices for theelectronic device 501 are disposed. For example, if the actual useenvironment is a living room, the virtual environment 500 may include animage (an image of a picture of the living room or a drawing image ofthe living room) for the living room. For another example, the virtualenvironment 500 may include an image for an environment different fromthe actual use environment. For example, a space, in which theelectronic device 501 and a user 510 are actually located, is the“living room”, but the virtual environment 500 may include a“classroom”.

According to an example, the electronic device 501 may provide thevirtual environment 500 different from the actual space based oncontents which have been provided (or are to be provided) to the user510 or a user's input. For example, if the user 510 desires a simulationfor “shopping”, the electronic device 501 may provide an image for ashopping mall as an example of the virtual environment 500. As anotherexample, if the contents are movie contents, the electronic device 501may provide an image of a movie theater as the virtual environment 500.According to an example, the virtual environment 500 may include a 3Dimage, as well as a 2D image.

According to an example, one or more objects 513 to 540 (hereinafter,candidate objects for convenience of description) corresponding to oneor more external electronic devices (hereinafter, for convenience ofdescription, “candidate electronic devices”) among the externalelectronic devices 413 to 445 disposed in the space (for example, theliving room), in which the electronic device 501 is located, or otherexternal electronic devices disposed in a space (not shown) differentfrom the space may be displayed on the virtual environment 500.

For example, the electronic watch 413, the electronic tattoo 415, thespeakers 423-1 and 423-2, the television 425, the air conditioner 429,the smart phone 440, and the smart blind 433, which are disposed in aregion 490 (viewed by the user) corresponding to the gaze of the user510 among the external electronic devices 413 to 445 may be selected ascandidate electronic devices. Further, for example, a washing machinelocated at another space (for example, a utility room) connected withthe electronic device 501 through a local network may be selected as acandidate electronic device. Additional information about the method ofselecting the candidate electronic device will be described withreference to FIG. 6.

The candidate objects 513 to 547 may be, for example, an image, text, avideo, or an icon corresponding to the candidate electronic device.According to an example, the candidate objects 513 to 547 may be imagesrelated to an appearance of the candidate electronic device. Forexample, the candidate objects 513 to 547 may include speaker images523-1 and 523-2 identical or similar to appearances of the speakers423-1 and 423-2, a television image 525 identical or similar to anappearance of the television 425, an image 529 different from an actualimage of the air conditioner 429 but representing the air conditioner429, an image 533 different from an actual image of the smart blind 433but representing the smart blind 433 and an image 540 different from anactual image of the smart phone 440 but representing the smart phone440, e.g., icons.

According to an example, the candidate objects 515 to 547 may include,for example, text (for example, a product name or identificationinformation) for the candidate electronic device. For example, thecandidate objects 515 to 547 may be an output window 515 including“electronic tattoo” that is text corresponding to the electronic tattoo415.

According to an example, the candidate objects 513 to 547 may be iconsfor the candidate electronic devices. For example, the candidate objects513 to 547 may include an electronic watch icon 513 representing theelectronic watch 413 or a washing machine icon 547 representing awashing machine.

According to an example, the candidate objects 513 to 547 may bedisplayed on a region of the virtual environment 500 corresponding torelative positions of the candidate electronic devices for theelectronic device 501. The user 510 may use the HMD 501 that is theelectronic device 510 at a first location corresponding to a left-rearside of the living room. The user 510 may be attached with theelectronic tattoo 415 on his/her arm, and hold the smart phone 440 witha hand. Accordingly, locations of the electronic tattoo 415 and thesmart phone 440 may be the same as or similar to the location of the HMD501. For example, the electronic tattoo object 515 corresponding to theelectronic tattoo 415 and the smart phone object 540 corresponding tothe smart phone 440 may be displayed in a first region corresponding toa left lower side of the virtual environment 500 as candidate objects.

For example, the television 425 may be located at a second locationcorresponding to a center front side of the living room. In this case,the television object 525 corresponding to the television 425 may bedisplayed in a second region corresponding to the center front side ofthe virtual environment 500 as a candidate object. For example, thefirst speaker 423-1 and the second speaker 423-2 may be located at thirdlocations which are both sides of the television 425 in the living room.In this case, the first speaker object 523-1 and the second speakerobject 523-2 corresponding to the first speaker 423-1 and the secondspeaker 423-2, respectively, may be displayed on third regions, whichare both sides of the television 525 in the virtual environment 500, asa candidate objects.

For example, the air conditioner 479 may be located at a fourth locationcorresponding to a front side of the living room. For example, the airconditioner object 529 corresponding to the air conditioner 429 may bedisplayed in a fourth region corresponding to a right center side of thevirtual environment 500 as a candidate object. For example, the smartblind 433 may be located at a fifth location corresponding to a rightfront side of the air conditioner 579 in the living room. In this case,the smart blind object 533 corresponding to the smart blinder 433 may bedisplayed in a fifth region corresponding to a right upper end of theair conditioner object 529 in the virtual environment 500 as a candidateobject.

According to an example, the candidate objects 513 to 547 may bedisplayed on a region 503 designated in the virtual environment 500. Forexample, the right lower region 503 may be designated as a region fordisplaying the candidate objects 513 to 547 in the virtual environment500. Accordingly, the electronic watch object 513 corresponding to theelectronic watch 413 and the washing machine 547 corresponding to thewashing machine may be displayed on the region 503 designated fordisplaying the objects.

According to an example, contents may be provided in relation to theregion, on which at least some objects (hereinafter, target objects forconvenience of description) among one or more candidate objectsdisplayed in the virtual environment 500. The contents may correspond toinformation to be output by at least some electronic devices(hereinafter, referred to as target electronic devices for convenienceof description) corresponding to the target objects among one or morecandidate electronic devices.

For example, text 565 “Body temperature: 37°, and Stress: 90%”corresponding to information on a body temperature and a degree ofstress of the user 510, which is provided through the electronic tattoo415, may be provided through the region on which the electronic tattooobject 515 is displayed. For example, contents 465 (for example, amovie) to be output through the television 425 may be provided throughthe region, on which the television object 525 that is the target objectis displayed. For example, the text message icon 590 corresponding tonotification information about the reception of the text message to beprovided by the smart phone 440 may be provided through the region onwhich the smart phone object 540 that is the target object is displayed.For example, text 597 corresponding to notification information about“washing is completed” to be output by the washing machine may beprovided through an upper region of the region, on which the washingmachine object 547 that is the target object is displayed.

According to an example, a control menu (for example, an image, text, oran icon) for controlling the target electronic device may be provided inrelation to the region, on which the target object is displayed, in thevirtual environment 500. For example, a control menu 583 for opening orclosing the smart blind 433 may be provided through the region, on whichthe smart blind object 533 is displayed.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an example information providingmodule (for example, the information providing module 110 in the form,for example, of processing circuitry) included in an electronic device(for example, the electronic device 101). Hereinafter, the descriptionof the same or similar parts as those in FIGS. 1 to 5 will be omitted.Referring to FIG. 6, an information providing module 610 may include,for example, a device checking module 620, an object display module 630,an information obtaining module 640, a content providing module 650, anda device control module 660. According to an example, at least some ofthe device checking module 620, the object display module 630, theinformation obtaining module 640, the content providing module 650, andthe device control module 660 may be implemented by hardware, software,or firmware, or any combination thereof which is capable of performingor being configured to perform designated operations.

The device checking module 620 may be configured to check, for example,a candidate electronic device among one or more external electronicdevices (for example, the electronic devices 102 and 104, and the server106) for the electronic device. According to an example, the devicechecking module 620 may be configured to recognize (for example, scan)one or more external electronic devices communicable with the electronicdevice. One or more external electronic devices may be devices connectedwith the electronic device through a network (for example, the network162) or a short range communication (for example, the short rangecommunication 164).

For example, the device checking module 620 may be configured totransmit a request signal requesting communication to the plurality ofexternal electronic devices through Wi-Fi communication (or Bluetooth,infrared communication, or short range communication). The devicechecking module 620 may be configured to receive a response signal forthe request signal from one or more external electronic devicescommunicable through the Wi-Fi communication among the plurality ofexternal electronic devices. Accordingly, the device checking module 620may be configured to recognize the one or more external electronicdevices. For example, the device checking module 620 may be configuredto receive a signal transmitted (for example, broadcasted) from one ormore external electronic devices (a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) tagincluded in the one or more external electronic devices) withoutrequesting communication from the plurality of external electronicdevices. Accordingly, the device checking module 620 may recognize theone or more external electronic devices.

According to an example, the device checking module 620 may beconfigured to recognize one or more external electronic devices inresponse to the use (e.g., wearing) of the electronic device by a user.For example, if the electronic device is a wearable device, the devicechecking module 620 may be configured to check whether the electronicdevice is worn by the user. Accordingly, if the electronic device isworn by the user, the device checking module 620 may recognize, forexample, the one or more external electronic devices. On the other hand,if the electronic device is not worn by the user, the device checkingmodule 620 may not recognize, for example, the one or more externalelectronic devices. According to various examples, the device checkingmodule 620 may recognize one or more external electronic devices basedon various user's inputs (for example, selection of a menu item relatedto the recognition of the external electronic device), as well aswhether the user uses the electronic device.

According to various examples, the device checking module 620 may beconfigured to automatically recognize one or more external electronicdevices. For example, the device checking module 620 may be configuredto periodically (for example, once for about each one hour) recognizeone or more external electronic devices. For example, the devicechecking module 620 may recognize one or more external electronicdevices in response to an operation of the one or more externalelectronic devices. For example, the device checking module 620 maydetect a signal corresponding to a turn-on operation of the one or moreexternal electronic devices. The device checking module 620 mayrecognize the one or more external electronic devices based on thesignal.

According to an example, the device checking module 620 may beconfigured to select a candidate electronic device from the recognizedone or more external electronic devices. According to an example, thedevice checking module 620 may be configured to select an electronicdevice located within a designated range from the electronic device as acandidate electronic device. The designated range may include at leastone of, for example, a range detectable by a sensor (for example, theimage sensor) included in the electronic device, a range, in which shortrange communication (for example, the short range communication 164)with the electronic device may be established, a range, in whichcommunication with the electronic device with a designated signalintensity or more may be established, or ranges connected with eachother through a local network.

For example, the device checking module 620 may select an electronicdevice located at a place, which the user may visually recognize, amongthe recognized one or more external electronic devices as a candidateelectronic device. To this end, the device checking module 620 may beconfigured to obtain an image at a location corresponding to the gaze ofthe user through the image sensor included in the electronic device. Thedevice checking module 620 may select one or more electronic devicesinclude in the image as a candidate electronic device.

For example, the device checking module 620 may be configured to selectan electronic device located to be approximate to the user among therecognized one or more external electronic devices as a candidateelectronic device. To this end, the device checking module 620 mayselect one or more electronic devices, which may establish short rangecommunication (for example, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or infrared communication)with the electronic device among the one or more external electronicdevices connected with the electronic device through variouscommunication methods, as a candidate electronic device.

For example, the electronic device may include an infrared communicationmodule communicable with an external electronic device corresponding toa designated direction. The device checking module 620 may select anexternal electronic device located in a desired direction as a candidateelectronic device by using the infrared communication module. Forexample, the device checking module 620 may receive an infrared signalfrom one or more external electronic devices located in a directioncorresponding to the infrared communication module through infraredcommunication. For example, the device checking module 620 may selectthe one or more external electronic devices as a candidate electronicdevice.

Further, the device checking module 620 may be configured to select, forexample, one or more electronic devices, in which a communication signalintensity between the electronic device and one or more externalelectronic devices is a designated signal intensity or more (forexample, high when signal intensity is divided into high, middle, andlow), among the recognized one or more external electronic devices as acandidate electronic device.

Further, for example, the recognized one or more external electronicdevices may be connected within the electronic device through variousnetworks. For example, the device checking module 620 may select one ormore electronic devices connected through the local network (forexample, a home network) among the one or more external electronicdevices as a candidate electronic device.

According to an example, the device checking module 620 may beconfigured to select a candidate electronic device based on an input,such as, for example, a user input. For example, the device checkingmodule 620 may be configured to recognize, for example, the gaze of theuser for the electronic device through an eye recognizing sensorfunctionally connected with the electronic device (for example, includedin the electronic device). The device checking module 620 may beconfigured to select an electronic device corresponding to the gaze ofthe user among the one or more external electronic devices as acandidate electronic device. Further, for example, the device checkingmodule 620 may be configured to recognize, for example, a motion of theuser (for example, a motion of indicating the electronic device with ahand or a finger of the user) through the image sensor functionallyconnected with the electronic device. The device checking module 620 mayselect an electronic device corresponding to the motion (for example,the electronic device indicated by the hand or the finger of the user)as a candidate electronic device.

According to an example, the device checking module 620 may beconfigured to select a candidate electronic device based on operationstates of one or more communicable external electronic devices. Forexample, the device checking module 620 may be configured to select anelectronic device which is outputting (or is to output) information (forexample, contents, a sound, scent, light, radio waves, or vibrations)among one or more external electronic devices as a candidate electronicdevice. For example, the device checking module 620 may be configured toobtain, for example, operation information about an external electronicdevice regarding whether one or more external electronic devices areoutputting information, through wired or wireless communication. Basedon the operation information, the device checking module 620 may selectthe electronic device, which is outputting the information, as acandidate electronic device.

For example, the device checking module 620 may be configured to obtain,for example, an image of a first external electronic device, whichoutputs a video through a display and an image of a second externalelectronic device, which does not output the information, through theimage sensor. For example, based on the images, the device checkingmodule 620 may select the first external electronic device as acandidate electronic device.

The object display module 630 may be configured to display a candidateobject corresponding to the candidate electronic device. According to anexample, the object display module 630 may be configured to display avirtual environment (for example, the virtual environment 500) fordisplaying a candidate object through a display (for example, thedisplay 170) functionally connected with the electronic device.According to an example, the object display module 630 may be configuredto select a virtual environment to be displayed through the electronicdevice among a plurality of virtual environments based on at least oneinput for the electronic device. The object display module 630 may beconfigured to provide the selected virtual environment. According to anexample, the object display module 630 may be configured to display avirtual environment obtained through the candidate electronic device oranother external electronic device through the display. For example, theobject display module 630 may be configured to obtain a virtualenvironment through a candidate electronic device based on acommunication connection between the candidate electronic device and theelectronic device or a request of the user. Additional information onthe method of providing the virtual environment will be described withreference to FIG. 7 below.

According to an example, the object display module 630 may be configuredto display the candidate object within the virtual environment. Forexample, the object display module 630 may display the candidate objectthrough a region corresponding to a location of the candidate electronicdevice in an actual use environment or a region (for example, the region503) designated for displaying the candidate object.

According to an example, the object display module 630 may be configuredto differently display the candidate objects based on processinginformation for the candidate object or the virtual environment. Theprocessing information may, for example, include information on a time,for which the gaze of the user for the candidate electronic devicestays, or a degree of communication connection (paring) with theelectronic device. According to an example, the object display module630 may be configured to display the candidate object with a chroma,luminance, brightness, light and shade, transparency, color, shape,shaking, motion or a size designated according to the time, for whichthe gaze of the user for the candidate electronic device stays, or acommunication connection state. For example, if the user views thecandidate electronic device for a first time (for example, about 5seconds), the object display module 630 may be configured to display thecandidate object with a first color (for example, black and whitecolors), if the user views the candidate electronic device for a secondtime (for example, about 30 seconds) longer than the first time, theobject display module 630 may display the candidate object with a secondcolor (for example, colors).

For example, the object display module 630 may be configured to displaythe candidate object with a different size according to thecommunication connection state between the electronic device and thecandidate electronic device. For example, the communication connectionstate may be divided into a “communication connection attempt”, “ongoingcommunication connection”, and “communication connection completion”. Ifthe communication connection state between the electronic device and thecandidate electronic device is the “communication connection attempt”,the object display module 630 may be configured to display the candidateobject with a first size. If the communication connection state betweenthe electronic device and the candidate electronic device is changed tothe “ongoing communication connection”, the object display module 630may change a size of the candidate object to a second size larger thanthe first size. If the communication connection state between theelectronic device and the candidate electronic device is changed to the“communication connection completion”, the object display module 630 maychange a size of the candidate object to a third size larger than thesecond size.

For convenience of description, the communication connection state isdivided into three steps (for example, the “communication connectionattempt”, the “ongoing communication connection”, and the “communicationconnection completion”), but may be variously set according to variousexamples. For example, the communication connection state may be dividedinto four steps, that is, “communication connection attempt”, “ongoingcommunication connection by 40%”, “ongoing communication connection by80%”, and “communication connection completion”. Additional informationabout the method of displaying the candidate object with a designatedformat will be described with reference to FIG. 11.

According to an example, the object display module 630 may be configuredto display a user interface (for example, a progress bar or a loadingbar) indicating a degree of processing the candidate object or thevirtual environment in relation to the candidate object. For example,the object display module 630 may be configured to display a progressbar for displaying a time, for which the gaze of the user for thecandidate object stays, in the region, in which the candidate object isdisplayed. If the gaze of the user for the candidate object stays forthe first time (for example, about 5 seconds), the object display module630 may display a first progress bar indicating a first percentage (forexample, about 30%). Further, If the gaze of the user for the candidateobject stays for the second time (for example, about 15 seconds) longerthan the first time, the object display module 630 may display a secondprogress bar indicating a second percentage (for example, about 90%)larger than the first percentage.

According to an example, the object display module 630 may be configuredto differently display the plurality of candidate objects so that theplurality of objects is discriminated from each other. The objectdisplay module 630 may be configured to display, for example, theplurality of candidate objects with different frequencies, colors, orbrightness so that the plurality of candidate objects is discriminatedthrough a brainwave signal of the user viewing the plurality ofcandidate objects. For example, the object display module 630 may beconfigured to check a first region of the display for displaying a firstcandidate object and a second region of the display for displaying asecond candidate object. The object display module 630 may be configuredto display the first candidate object at a first frequency (for example,about 60.2 Hz) through the first region, and display the secondcandidate object at a second frequency (for example, about 60.4 Hz)through the second region.

For example, the object display module 630 may be configured to displaythe first candidate object with a first color (for example, red) anddisplay the second candidate object with a second color (for example,blue). Further, the object display module 630 may be configured todisplay the first candidate object with first brightness (for example,about 2 lux), and display the second candidate object with secondbrightness (for example, about 5 lux).

The information obtaining module 640 may be configured to obtain, forexample, information (for example, the video 465, the text 483, and thetext message 485) to be output (or currently output) through a targetelectronic device corresponding to a target object among one or morecandidate objects. According to an example, the information obtainingmodule 640 may be configured to determine a target object based on auser's input (for example, a gesture, a touch, or the eye), executioninformation of the candidate electronic device, or the motioninformation about the candidate electronic device.

For example, the information obtaining module 640 may be configured tocheck the gaze of the user based on a user's input. If the gaze of theuser corresponds to the first candidate object, the informationobtaining module 640 may be configured to determine the first candidateobject as a target object. If the gaze of the user corresponds to asecond candidate object, the information obtaining module 640 maydetermine the second candidate object as a target object.

For example, if the electronic device is an HMD, the informationobtaining module 640 may be configured to recognize, for example, amotion (for example, rotation) of a head of the user based on a user'sinput through a motion sensor functionally connected with the electronicdevice (for example, included in the electronic device). If the motioncorresponds to a first motion corresponding to the first candidateobject (for example, the head rotates in a first direction correspondingto the first candidate object), the information obtaining module 640 maydetermine the first candidate object as a target object. If the motioncorresponds to a second motion corresponding to the second candidateobject (for example, the head rotates in a second directioncorresponding to the second candidate object), the information obtainingmodule 640 may determine the second candidate object as a target object.For example, the electronic device (for example, the electronic device101) may use at least one of the gesture sensor 240A, the gyro sensor240B, and the acceleration sensor 240E in the sensor module 240 as amotion sensor.

For example, the information obtaining module 640 may be configured todetermine a target object based on biometric information (for example, abrainwave) of the user as a user's input. For example, the brainwave ofthe user may be differently measured according to visual informationviewed by the user (for example, an output frequency, a color, orbrightness of visual information). For example, if a first image isoutput on the display at the first frequency (for example, about 60.2Hz), the brainwave of the user viewing the first image may be a firstsignal. Further, if a second image is output on the display at thesecond frequency (for example, about 60.4 Hz), the brainwave of the userviewing the second image may be a second signal. Accordingly, theinformation obtaining module 640 may be configured to check an imageviewed by the user corresponding to the brainwave between the firstimage and the second image by using the brainwave obtained through abrainwave recognizing sensor functionally connected with the electronicdevice.

For example, the object display module 630 may be configured to outputthe first candidate object through the display at the first frequency,and output the second candidate object through the display at the secondfrequency. In this case, the information obtaining module 640 may beconfigured to obtain the brainwave of the user. If the brainwave of theuser is the first signal corresponding to the first frequency, theinformation obtaining module 640 may be configured to determine thefirst candidate object as a target object. If the brainwave of the useris the second signal corresponding to the second frequency, theinformation obtaining module 640 may be configured to determine thesecond candidate object as a target object.

For example, the information obtaining module 640 may be configured tocheck information about reception of a notification by the candidateelectronic device as execution information. Accordingly, the informationobtaining module 640 may be configured to determine the candidate objectcorresponding to the candidate electronic device as a target object. Forexample, the information obtaining module 640 may be configured to checkinformation about completion of washing by the washing machine that isthe candidate electronic device as execution information. Accordingly,the information obtaining module 640 may determine the washing machineobject corresponding to the washing machine as a target object.

The information obtaining module 640 may be configured to check, forexample, motion information about one or more candidate electronicdevices. For example, if the motion information corresponds todesignated motion information, the object display module 630 may beconfigured to determine a candidate object corresponding to thecandidate electronic device as a target object. For example, if a userwearing an electronic watch raises his/her arm in a direction of a faceof the user, the information obtaining module 640 may be configured todetermine that the user intends to check the electronic clock.Accordingly, the motion information corresponding to the movement of theelectronic watch in an upper direction may be set as the designatedmotion information. For example, a motion sensor included in theelectronic watch may detect the motion information corresponding to themovement of the electronic watch in the upper direction. For example,the information obtaining module 640 may obtain the motion informationfrom the electronic watch. The information obtaining module 640 maydetermine the electronic watch as a target electronic device based onthe motion information.

According to an example, motion information about one or more candidateelectronic devices may be checked by various sensors, such as the imagesensor functionally connected with the one or more candidate electronicdevices or the electronic device, as well as a motion sensor included inthe one or more candidate electronic devices.

According to an example, the information obtaining module 640 may beconfigured to determine a group including one or more candidate objectsa target object, as well as determine each candidate object as a targetobject. The group may be determined based on at least one of, forexample, a user's input, a region, in which the candidate object isdisplayed, and functions of the candidate electronic devices.

For example, based on a user's input (for example, a touch input), firstto third candidate objects may be determined as a first group, andfourth and fifth candidate objects may be determined as a second group.For example, the first and second candidate objects located in the firstregion of the virtual environment may be determined as the first group,and the third to fifth candidate objects located in the second region ofthe virtual environment may be determined as the second group.

For example, one or more candidate objects corresponding to one or morecandidate electronic devices, in which a relevant function is executed,may be determined as one group. For example, a monitor objectcorresponding to a monitor for outputting a video and a speaker objectcorresponding to a speaker for outputting a sound corresponding to thevideo may be determined as one group. Further, a game console objectcorresponding to a game console for controlling a game, a monitor objectcorresponding to a monitor for displaying an image of the game, and aspeaker object corresponding to a speaker for outputting a sound for thegame may be determined as one group.

According to an example, the information obtaining module 640 may beconfigured to obtain information to be output through the targetelectronic device corresponding to the target object. For example, amovie may be currently output through the target electronic device. Theinformation obtaining module 640 may be configured to obtain informationon at least a part (a next part of a part output by the targetelectronic device) of the currently output movie. For example, when anotification (for example, a notification for reception of a textmessage when the target electronic device is a smart phone) is output(or to be output) by the target electronic device, the informationobtaining module 640 may receive information about the notification. Forexample, when a smart phone that is the target electronic devicereceives a text message, the smart phone may need to output at least oneof a ring sound, a vibration, text message contents, and text messagesender information corresponding to the reception of the text message.For example, the information obtaining module 640 may be configured toobtain at least one of information indicating that the text message isreceived, text message contents, and the text message senderinformation.

According to an example, the information obtaining module 640 may beconfigured to directly obtain information from the target electronicdevice through wireless or wired communication (for example, D2Dcommunication). Further, according to another example, the informationobtaining module 640 may be configured to obtain information about thetarget electronic device through another electronic device (for example,the electronic devices 102 and 104, and the server 106) connected withthe target electronic device. For example, the information obtainingmodule 640 may obtain the information through a server managing theinformation to be output by the target electronic device.

The content providing module 650 may be configured to provide, forexample, contents corresponding to the obtained information in relationto the region, on which the target object is displayed (for example,within the displayed region or a region closed to the displayed region).According to an example, the content providing module 650 may beconfigured to determine contents corresponding to the obtainedinformation. For example, when the obtained information is informationabout a notification, the content providing module 650 may be configuredto determine an image, a video, text, an icon, a sound, or a vibrationrelated to the notification as the contents corresponding to thenotification.

According to an example, the obtained information may be informationabout contents (for example, a video, an image, or text) output by thetarget electronic device. For example, the content providing module 650may be configured to determine contents identical or similar to thecontents output by the target electronic device or contents obtained byprocessing (for example, changing a format, resolution, or a size ofdata) at least a part of the contents output by the target electronicdevice as the contents corresponding to the information.

For example, the obtained information may be information about a secondpart, which is a next part of a first part of a movie currently outputthrough the target electronic device. For example, the content providingmodule 650 may be configured to determine the second part of the movieas contents corresponding to the information. For example, a data formatof the video that is the obtained information may be a first dataformat. For example, the content providing module 650 may be configuredto determine the video, of which the data format is changed from thefirst data format to the second data format, as contents correspondingto the information.

According to an example, the content providing module 650 may beconfigured to provide the contents to the region, on which the targetobject is displayed, the region closed to (or connected with) theregion, on which the target object is displayed, or a directioncorresponding to the region, on which the target object is displayed.For example, when the target object is an image of a television, thecontent providing module 650 may be configured to display contents on apartial region (for example, an image part corresponding to a display ofthe television) included in the television image. For example, if thetarget object is an icon (for example, the washing machine icon 547) forthe target electronic device, the content providing module 650 may beconfigured to display the contents (for example, the contents 597) on anupper, lower, left, or right region of the icon. For example, thecontent providing module 650 may be configured to display the contentstogether with visual information (for example, a connection line)connecting the target object and the contents. For example, the contentproviding module 650 may display the contents on a region different fromthat of the target region, and then move the contents to the region, onwhich the target object is displayed.

For example, the electronic device may include a first speaker locatedin a first direction (for example, a right side) of the display and asecond speaker located in a second direction (for example, a left side)of the electronic device. A first target object may be displayed on aregion corresponding to the first direction of the display. In thiscase, the content providing module 650 may be configured to output alouder sound through the first speaker than the second speaker so thatthe user recognizes as if the sound that is the content is output in thefirst direction corresponding to the first target object. Otherwise, thecontent providing module 650 may be configured to output the sound onlythrough the first speaker.

A second target object may be displayed on a region corresponding to thesecond direction of the display. For example, the content providingmodule 650 may output a louder sound through the second speaker than thefirst speaker so that the user recognizes as if the sound that is thecontent is output in the second direction corresponding to the secondtarget object. Otherwise, the content providing module 650 may outputthe sound only through the second speaker.

According to an example, the content providing module 650 may beconfigured to provide another information obtained through an electronicdevice different from the target electronic device in relation to theregion, on which the target object corresponding to the targetelectronic device is displayed. For example, information (for example,writing contents for a lecture when the content is a video lecture)related to contents provided to the region, on which the target objectcorresponding to the target electronic device is displayed, may beobtained through an electronic device different from the targetelectronic device. For example, the content providing module 650 may beconfigured to provide the information to the region, on which the targetobject is displayed (or the region close to the region), in relation tothe contents. A method of providing the obtained information throughanother electronic device will be described with reference to FIG. 10.

According to an example, the content providing module 650 may beconfigured to control (for example, temporarily stop or turn off) theprovision of the contents based on external environment information (forexample, external object recognition) for the electronic device. Forexample, the content providing module 650 may be configured to checkfor, for example, a person located around the electronic device (forexample, within about 1 m) as external environment information throughthe image sensor functionally connected with the electronic device whileproviding the contents. For example, the content providing module 650may be configured to stop providing the contents so as to enable theuser of the electronic device to recognize that a person is located in aneighboring region. Otherwise, the content providing module 650 may beconfigured to display information indicating that a person is located ina neighboring region. For example, the content providing module 650 maydisplay an image (for example, a picture of the person) or textcorresponding to the person.

The device control module 660 may be configured to control, for example,a function of the target electronic device corresponding to the targetobject. According to an example, the device control module 660 may beconfigured to control an output function of the target electronicdevice. For example, the contents corresponding to the output (forexample, currently output) information through the target electronicdevice through the content providing module 650 may be output throughthe electronic device. Accordingly, the information may be providedthrough the target electronic device and the contents corresponding tothe information may be simultaneously provided by the electronic device.It may be difficult for the user to simultaneously check the informationoutput through the target electronic device and the contents provided bythe electronic device.

Accordingly, when the user uses the electronic device, the devicecontrol module 660 may be configured to control the target electronicdevice so that the information is not output through the targetelectronic device. On the other hand, when the user does not use theelectronic device, the device control module 660 may be configured tocontrol the target electronic device so that the information is outputthrough the target electronic device. Further, the device control module660 may be configured to stop the output of the contents for theinformation by the electronic device.

For example, if the electronic device is a wearable electronic device,the device control module 660 may be configured to determine whether theelectronic device is used based on the electronic device is worn by theuser. For example, the contents may be provided by a television, whichis the external electronic device of the electronic device. If theelectronic device is an HMD, the device control module 660 may checkwhether the HMD is worn by the user.

If the HMD is worn by the user, the device control module 660 may beconfigured to control the television so that the contents are notprovided through the television (turn off only a screen of thetelevision) or turn off the television. Then, If the HMD is detachedfrom the user, the device control module 660 may control the televisionor turn on the television so that the contents are output through thetelevision again. The method of controlling the target electronic devicewill be described with reference to FIG. 8 below.

According to an example, the device control module 660 may also beconfigured to control (turn off) an operation of another externalelectronic device for the electronic device, as well as the targetelectronic device. For example, the device control module 660 may beconfigured to turn off a lighting located around the electronic deviceand at least some functions of the television (turn off only a screenoutput function of the television) when the electronic device is used bythe user. On the other hand, the device control module 660 may beconfigured to turn on the lighting and the television again when theelectronic device is not used by the user.

According to an example, the device control module 660 may be configuredto provide a control menu for controlling the contents output throughthe target electronic device or the electronic device in relation to thetarget object. For example, when the target electronic device is thelighting, the device control module 660 may be configured to displaycontrol menu items corresponding to a function of “turning off” and“turning on” the lighting on a region, on which the lighting object isdisplayed. When the user selects the control menu item corresponding to“turning off”, the device control module 660 may be configured tocontrol the lighting so that the lighting is turned off. The method ofproviding the control menu item will be described with reference to FIG.8 below.

According to an example, the device control module 660 may be configuredto transmit at least some of the contents output through the targetobject or the information (for example, some contents or linkinformation about the contents) related to the contents to an electronicdevice corresponding to another target object. Accordingly, at leastsome of the information may be provided through the electronic devicecorresponding to another target object. For example, the device controlmodule 660 may be configured to select at least a part of anadvertisement image that is the content provided through a region, onwhich a first target object is displayed.

According to an example, the device control module 660 may be configuredto transmit link information related to an advertisement productcorresponding to the advertisement image to a target electronic devicecorresponding to a second target object based on a user's input (forexample, a drag from the first target object to the second target objector a movement of the gaze of the user from the first target object tothe second target object) for a region, on which the second targetobject is displayed. The method of transmitting the contents or theinformation related to the contents will be described with reference toFIG. 9 below.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a user interface (for example, thevirtual environment 500) provided through an electronic device (forexample, the electronic device 101). Referring to FIG. 7, a backgroundof a living room, in which a user 710 is located, may be displayedthrough a display 703 of an electronic device 701 as a background of avirtual environment 705 (for example, the virtual environment 500).According to an example, contents 709, which may be output through atelevision disposed in the living room, may be displayed through atelevision object 707 corresponding to the television. For example, theuser 710 may watch the contents 709 through the television object 707within the virtual environment 705 identically or similarly to thecontents 709 provided by the actual television in the actual livingroom.

According to an example, a selection menu 720, through which thebackground of the virtual environment 705 may be changed, may beprovided to the user 710 through the virtual environment 705. Forexample, when the television object 707 displayed within the virtualenvironment 705 is displayed with a first depth effect (orthree-dimensional effect), the selection menu 720 may be displayed witha second depth effect. For example, the selection menu 720 having thesecond depth effect may be recognized to be closer to the user 710 thanthe television object 707 having the first depth effect. According to anexample, the selection menu 720 may be more transparently displayed thanother objects within the virtual environment 705.

The selection menu 720 may include, for example, a first menu item 721having a background of a lecture room, a second menu item 723 having abackground of a conference room, and a third menu item 725 having abackground of a café, or other menu items (not shown). According to anexample, the first menu item 721 to the third menu item 725 may be movedin a specific direction 729 (for example, a right direction) based onthe gaze or a gesture of the user 710. For example, in FIG. 7, the firstmenu item 721, the second menu item 723, and the third menu item 725 aresequentially disposed in the right direction (for example, the specificdirection 729) from a left side, but the third menu item 725, the firstmenu item 721, and the second menu item 723 may be sequentially disposedfrom the left side to the right side according to an input of the user710.

According to an example, the second menu item 723 may be selected by thegaze or the gesture of the user 710. For example, the user 710 mayselect the second menu item 723 by viewing the second menu item 723 fora predetermined time, or by touching the second menu item 723. Accordingto an example, the electronic device 701 may provide the user 710 withvisual information notifying that the second menu item 723 is selected.For example, the electronic device 701 may display the second menu item723 to be larger than the first menu item 721 or the third menu item725, display the second menu item 723 to be stronger than the first menuitem 721 or the third menu item 725, display the second menu item 723 tobe flickered, or display the second menu item 723 with a shadow.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example of a user interface (for example, thevirtual environment 500) provided through an electronic device (forexample, the electronic device 101). Descriptions of parts identical orsimilar to those of FIG. 7 will be omitted, and reference numerals ofparts identical or similar to those of FIG. 7 will be denoted with theidentical or similar reference numerals.

Referring to FIG. 8, contents 809 (for example, the contents 709)providable through an actual television 851 disposed in a laboratoryroom 800, in which a user 810 is located, may be provided through atelevision object 807 (for example, the television object 707) in avirtual environment 805 (for example, the virtual environment 705). Forexample, if the user 810 wears an electronic device 801 (for example,the electronic device 701), the electronic device 801 may display thecontents 809 within at least a partial region of the virtual environment805 displayed through the electronic device 801.

According to an example, if the contents 809 (for example, broadcastingor Electronic Program Guide (EPG)) are displayed through the televisionobject 807, the television 851 may continuously output the contents 809,but may also stop providing the contents 809 and provide a default image849. The default image 849 may include, for example, an image (forexample, black data) having the smaller amount of data than that of thecontents 809 or the smaller amount of current consumed than thatconsumed if the contents 809 are output. For example, if the contents809 are displayed through the television object 807, at least somefunctions (for example, only a screen output function of the television)of the television 851 may be turned off, and some other functions of thetelevision 851 (an operation of waiting for reception of a signalprovided by the electronic device 101) may be performed. According to anexample, if the contents 809 are displayed through the television object807, the television 851 may be turned off.

According to an example, a control menu 830, through which thetelevision 851 may be controlled, may be provided to the user 810through the virtual environment 805. For example, the control menu 830may include a channel menu 837, through which a channel of thetelevision 851 may be changed. Although not illustrated, the controlmenu 830 may include various menu items including volume, screenresolution, pause, play, fast forward, rewind, or fast play. Forexample, if the television object 807 displayed within the virtualenvironment 805 is displayed with a first depth effect (orthree-dimensional effect), the selection menu 830 may be displayed witha second depth effect or more transparently than other objects.

The user 810 may select a channel of the television 851 through ahardware key 803 formed in the electronic device 801. Otherwise, theuser 810 may select, for example, a channel of the television 851 byviewing or touching with a finger at least one of first to third channelinformation 831, 833, and 835 displayed within the virtual environment805 for a predetermined time. According to an example, the first channelinformation 831 to the third channel information 835 may be moved in aspecific direction 829 (for example, a left direction) based on the gazeor a gesture of the user 810.

According to an example, the sequentially disposed first to thirdchannel information 831, 833, and 835 may be displayed with differentsizes based on the selected second channel information 833. For example,the selected second channel information 833 may be displayed to belargest, and the non-selected first channel information 831 and thirdchannel information 835 may be displayed to be relatively smaller thanthe second channel information 833. According to an example, othernon-selected channel information may be displayed to be graduallysmaller when being far from the selected second channel information 833.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a user interface (for example, thevirtual environment 500) provided through an electronic device (forexample, the electronic device 101). Descriptions of parts identical orsimilar to those of FIG. 7 or 8 will be omitted, and reference numeralsof parts identical or similar to those of FIG. 7 or 8 will be denotedwith the identical or similar reference numerals.

Referring to FIG. 9, contents 909 (for example, the contents 709)providable through a monitor 951 or through a monitor object 907corresponding to an actual monitor 951 may be provided in a virtualenvironment 905 (for example, the virtual environment 705) correspondingto an office 900. According to an example, an icon 951, through whichinformation related to the contents 909 is transmittable to an actualnotebook computer 960, may be displayed in the virtual environment 905.

The icon 951 may be displayed on, for example, at least a partial regionof the monitor object 907, on which the contents 909 are displayed.According to an example, the icon 951 may be displayed in a form of animage or text representing a transportation means (for example, anautomobile, a cart, a bicycle, a wagon, or a wheel). According to anexample, if a user 910 touches the icon 951 or views the icon 951 for apredetermined time, the icon 951 may be activated. According to anexample, if the icon 951 is activated, the icon 951 may be flickered,displayed thicker, displayed larger, or finely move. For example, if theicon 951 is shaped like a cart, the cart may roll wheels in place orwhile moving forward in a specific direction 929 (for example, a frontdirection).

According to an example, if the icon 951 is moved to a notebook computerobject 961 corresponding to the notebook computer 960 based on the gazeor the gesture of the user 910, the information related to the contents909 may be transmitted to the notebook computer 960. The informationrelated to the contents 909 may include, for example, at least somecontents of the contents 909 currently displayed through the monitorobject 907, link information about the contents 909, and detailedinformation about an image, terms, or text included in the contents 909.

FIG. 10 illustrates an example of a user interface (for example, thevirtual environment 500) provided through an electronic device (forexample, the electronic device 101). Descriptions of parts identical orsimilar to those of FIGS. 7 to 9 will be omitted, and reference numeralsof parts identical or similar to those of FIGS. 7 to 9 will be denotedwith the identical or similar reference numerals.

Referring to FIG. 10, a user 101 may use a first electronic device 1001(for example, the electronic device 101), a second electronic device1031, and a third electronic device 1051 within a network space 1000.The network space 1000 represents, for example, an environment, in whicha plurality of electronic devices are linked with each other by usingwired or wireless communication to provide information to the user 1010or obtain information from the user 1010.

According to an example, first contents 1009 (for example, educationcontents) outputtable through the third electronic device 1051 (forexample, the monitor 951) may be provided through at least a partialregion of the object 1007 (for example, the monitor object 907) disposedwithin the virtual environment 1005 displayed through a display of thefirst electronic device 1001. According to an example, the user 1010 mayexecute a memo application as second contents 1033 through the secondelectronic device 1031. For example, the second contents 1033 may beprovided through the object 1007 together with the first contents 1009.For example, the first contents 1009 may be provided through a firstregion 1007-1 of the object 1007 (for example, a left portion of theobject 1007), and the second contents 1033 may be provided through asecond region 1007-3 of the object 1007 (for example, a right portion ofthe object 1007).

According to an example, if the user 1010 inputs specific contentsthrough the memo application of the second electronic device 1031, thespecific contents may be displayed through the object 1007. For example,if the second electronic device 1031 receives a phrase “Hello!” from theuser 1010, the first electronic device 1001 may display the phrase“Hello!” 1035 on the second region 1007-3 of the object 1007, on whichthe second contents 1033 are displayed.

According to an example, if the user 1010 does not input an additionalphrase for a predetermined time or inputs a command that a phrase inputis completed, the first electronic device 1001 may simultaneouslydisplay the phrase 1035 on the object 1007. For example, the phrase“Hello!” 1035 may be simultaneously output through a display of theelectronic device 1001 (for example, by using one frame provided for onevertical clock). According to various examples, in response to the inputof the phrase of the user 1010, the first electronic device 1001 mayinstantly display the phrase 1035 through the display. For example, ifthe user 1010 inputs “H” into the second electronic device 1031, thefirst electronic device 1001 may output “H” through the display inresponse to the input of “H”. Next, if the user 1010 sequentially inputs“e”, “l”, “I”, “o”, and “!”, the first electronic device 1001 maysequentially display the respective characters through the display inresponse to the respective inputs.

According to an example, an actual use environment of an externalelectronic device 1031, on which the phrase 1035 is displayed, maycorrespond to the virtual environment 1005 displayed on the monitorobject 1007. For example, if the phrase 1035 is displayed on a centerregion of the memo application, the phrase 1035 may be displayed on acenter region of the second region 1007-3 of the monitor object 1007. Ifthe phrase 1035 is input with a first size through the externalelectronic device 1031, the phrase 1035 may be displayed with a secondsize (for example, about two times of the first size) corresponding to aratio of the first size on the monitor object 1007. For example, if thephrase 1035 is input larger through the external electronic device 1031,the phrase may be displayed larger on the second region 1007-3 of themonitor object 1007.

According to an example, the first electronic device 1001 may display atleast some contents 1009-1 of the first contents 1009 output through thefirst region 1007-1 of the object 1007 on the second contents 1033output through the second region 1007-3 of the object 1007 automaticallyor based on a user's input. For example, the first electronic device1001 may automatically back up at least some contents 1009-1 in thesecond contents 1033 based on various cases, that is, a case where atleast some contents 1009-1 include a specific term designated by theuser 1010, importance of at least some contents 1009-1 is relativelyhigher than that of other contents, and at least some contents 1009-1are not properly displayed through the object 1007.

According to an example, if at least some contents 1009-1 are displayedthrough the second region 1007-3 of the object 1007, on which the secondcontents 1003 are displayed, at least some contents 1009-1 may also bedisplayed on a display of the second electronic device 1031. Accordingto an example, the first electronic device 1001 may transmit at leastsome contents 1009-1 to the second contents 1033, so that at least somecontents 1009-1 may be displayed or stored through the second electronicdevice 1031.

According to an example, if at least some contents 1009-1 are displayedthrough the second contents 1033, the third electronic device 1051 mayhave additional information 1053 for at least some contents 1009-1. Forexample, the third electronic device 1051 may obtain informationindicating that at least some contents 1009-1 are displayed or storedthrough the second electronic device 1031 as the additional information1053 for at least some contents 1009-1 from the first electronic device1001 or the second electronic device 1031. According to an example, ifthe user 1010 selects at least some contents 1009-1 based on the gaze ora gesture of the user 1010, the third electronic device 1051 may displaythe additional information 1053 through a display of the thirdelectronic device 1051.

As described above, within the network space 1000, information providedthrough at least one of the first electronic device 1001 to the thirdelectronic device 1051 may be shared through another electronic device,and the information obtained through at least one of the firstelectronic device 1001 to the third electronic device 1051 also bedisplayed or stored through another electronic device.

FIG. 11 illustrates an example of a user interface (for example, thevirtual environment 500) provided through an electronic device (forexample, the electronic device 101). Referring to FIG. 11, for example,in order to form a virtual environment 1105 corresponding to a livingroom 1130, a user 1110 may scan the living room 1130 in a predetermineddirection 1135 (for example, from the left to the right) while wearingan electronic device 1101 (for example, the electronic device 101).

For example, an electronic flowerpot 1141, a desktop computer 1143, amonitor 1145, and a keyboard 1147 disposed in the living room 1130 maybe discovered by the electronic device 1101, and displayed as first tofourth objects 1141-1, 1143-1, 1145-1, and 1147-1 at locationscorresponding to actual spaces thereof, respectively, within the virtualenvironment 1105.

According to an example, the electronic device 1101 may differentlydisplay user interfaces 1150 and 1170 according to a processing degreeof the virtual environment 1105 in generating the virtual environment1105. The first user interface 1150 may, for example, vary atransparency of the virtual environment 1105 according to the processingdegree. For example, if the processing degree is about 10%, transparency1151 of the virtual environment 1105 may have a first transparencyhaving the most unclear transparency. If the processing degree is about50%, transparency 1153 of the virtual environment 1105 may have a secondtransparency having a middle transparency higher than the firsttransparency. If the processing degree is about 80%, transparency 1155of the virtual environment 1105 may have third transparency having thehighest transparency. According to an example, the transparency of thevirtual environment 1105 provided by the first user interface 1150 maybe gradually changed from about 0% to about 100% according to aprocessing degree.

The second user interface 1170 may, for example, vary a region of thevirtual environment 1105 output through a display of the electronicdevice 1101 based on the processing degree. For example, if a processingdegree is about 10%, a region 1171 of the virtual environment 1105 shownto the user 1110 may have a first region that is the narrowest region.If the processing degree is about 50%, the transparency 1173 of thevirtual environment 1105 may have a second region having a middle regionwider than the first region. If the processing degree is about 80%,transparency 1175 of the virtual environment 1105 may have a thirdregion having the widest region. According to an example, the region ofthe virtual environment 1105 provided by the second user interface 1170may be gradually changed from about 0% to about 100% based on aprocessing degree.

In FIG. 11, as an example, the processing degree of the virtualenvironment 1105 is represented by transparency or a shown region, butaccording to various examples, the processing degree of the virtualenvironment 1105 is variously represented by chroma, luminance,brightness, color, light and shade, shaking, movement, or the like.

According to various examples, an electronic device (for example, theelectronic device 101) for sharing information through a virtualenvironment (for example, the virtual environment 500) may include adisplay (for example, the display 170) and an information providingmodule, e.g., in the form of processing circuitry, (for example, theinformation providing module 110) functionally connected with thedisplay, and the information providing module may display an objectcorresponding to an external electronic device for the electronic devicethrough the display, obtain information to be output through theexternal electronic device, and provide contents corresponding to theinformation in relation to a region, on which the object is displayed.

According to various examples, the information providing module maycheck a plurality of external electronic devices for the electronicdevice, and select the external electronic device among the plurality ofexternal electronic devices based on a user's input or functions of theplurality of external electronic devices.

According to various examples, the information providing module maycheck a plurality of external electronic devices for the electronicdevice, and determine a currently operated electronic device among theplurality of external electronic devices as the external electronicdevice.

According to various examples, at least one object may include at leastone of an image for an appearance of the external electronic device, anicon corresponding to the external electronic device, and textcorresponding to the external electronic device.

According to various examples, the information providing module mayobtain a relative location of the external electronic device withrespect to the electronic device, and if the relative location is afirst location, the information providing module may display the objecton a first region of the display, and if the relative location is asecond location, the information providing module may display the objecton a second region of the display.

According to various examples, the information providing module maycheck a time, for which the gaze of a user for the electronic devicestays on the object, and if the time is a first time, the informationproviding module may display the object in a first format, and if thetime is a second time, the information providing module may display theobject in a second format.

According to various examples, the information providing module mayprovide the contents to at least a partial region of the region.

According to various examples, the contents include a sound, and theinformation providing module may check a location of the region in thedisplay, and provides the sound in a first direction with respect to theelectronic device if the location is a first location, and theinformation providing module may provide the sound in a second directionwith respect to the electronic device if the location is a secondlocation.

According to various examples, the information providing module mayobtain another information obtained through another external electronicdevice for the electronic device, and further provide other contentscorresponding to another information.

According to various examples, the information providing module mayprovide the contents if the electronic device is worn the user.

According to various examples, the contents may be provided to the userthrough at least one of the electronic device and the externalelectronic device.

According to various examples, the information providing module maycontrol the external electronic device so that the contents areprevented from being provided through the external electronic device anylonger if the electronic device is attached onto the user.

According to various examples, the information providing module maycontrol the external electronic device so that the contents are providedto the user through the external electronic device based on the factthat the electronic device is detached from the user of the electronicdevice.

According to various examples, the information providing module may stopproviding the contents based on external environment information aboutthe electronic device.

According to various examples, an electronic device for sharinginformation through a virtual environment may include a display and aninformation providing module functionally connected with the electronicdevice, and the information providing module may display a plurality ofobjects corresponding to a plurality of external electronic devices,respectively, for the electronic device through the display, select atleast one object among the plurality of objects, obtain information tobe output by at least one external electronic device corresponding to atleast one object among the plurality of external electronic devices, andprovide the contents corresponding to the information in relation to aregion, on which at least one object is displayed.

According to various examples, the information providing module maydisplay a virtual environment through the display, and display theplurality of objects within the virtual environment.

According to various examples, the information providing module maychange the virtual environment to another virtual environment based onat least one input for the electronic device.

According to various examples, at least one object may be displayed on adesignated region of the virtual environment.

According to various examples, the contents may include first subcontents and second sub contents, and at least one object may include afirst object for outputting the first sub contents and a second objectfor outputting the second sub contents.

According to various examples, the plurality of objects may include afirst object and a second object, and the information providing modulemay output the first object based on a first frequency and the secondobject based on a second frequency.

According to various examples, the plurality of objects may include afirst object and a second object, and the information providing modulemay obtain biometric information about a user of the electronic device,and the information providing module may determine the first object asat least one object if the biometric information corresponds to a firstfrequency, and determine the second object as at least one object if thebiometric information corresponds to a second frequency.

According to various examples, the information providing module maydetermine at least one object based on at least one of the gaze and agesture of the user for the electronic device.

According to various examples, the information providing module mayprovide a second part of output contents that is a next part of a firstpart of the contents previously output through at least one externalelectronic device as the information.

According to various examples, the information providing module maydisplay a control menu for controlling the information in relation to atleast one content through the region.

According to various examples, the information providing module mayobtain an input for another object among the plurality of objects, andtransmit at least a part of at least one content or at least a part ofadditional information about at least one content to another externalelectronic device so that at least the part of at least one contents orat least the part of the additional information on at least one contentsis provided through another external electronic device corresponding toanother object based on the input.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart 1200 illustrating an example method of providinginformation by an electronic device (for example, the electronic device101). According to an example, in operation 1210, an electronic device(for example, the object display module 630) may display an object (forexample, the television object 525) corresponding to an externalelectronic device (for example, the television 425) for the electronicdevice. According to an example, the electronic device may provide avirtual environment (for example, the virtual environment 500). Forexample, the electronic device may display the object within the virtualenvironment.

In operation 1230, the electronic device (for example, the informationobtaining module 640) may obtain information (for example, the video465) to be output through the external electronic device. According toan example, the electronic device may obtain the information if theexternal electronic device is selected as a target electronic devicebased on a user's input. In operation 1250, the electronic device (forexample, the content providing module 650) may provide contents (forexample, the video 465) corresponding to the information in relation toa region, on which the object is displayed.

According to various examples, a method of sharing information through avirtual environment by an electronic device (for example, the electronicdevice 101) may include an operation of displaying an objectcorresponding to an external electronic device for the electronic devicethrough a display (for example, the display 170) functionally connectedwith the electronic device, an operation of obtaining information to beoutput through the external electronic device, and an operation ofproviding contents corresponding to the information in relation to aregion, on which the object is displayed.

According to various examples, the operation of displaying the objectmay include an operation of checking a plurality of external electronicdevices for the electronic device, and an operation of selecting theexternal electronic device among the plurality of external electronicdevices based on a user's input or functions of the plurality ofexternal electronic devices.

According to various examples, the operation of displaying the objectmay include an operation of checking a plurality of external electronicdevices for the electronic device, and determining a currently operatedelectronic device among the plurality of external electronic devices asthe external electronic device.

According to various examples, at least one object may include at leastone of an image for an appearance of the external electronic device, anicon corresponding to the external electronic device, and textcorresponding to the external electronic device.

According to various examples, the operation of displaying the objectmay include obtaining a relative location of the external electronicdevice with respect to the electronic device, an operation of displayingthe object on a first region of the display if the relative location isa first location, and an operation of displaying the object on a secondregion of the display if the relative location is a second location.

According to various examples, the operation of displaying the objectmay include an operation of checking a time, for which the gaze of auser for the electronic device stays on the object, an operation ofdisplaying the object in a first format if the time is a first time, andan operation of displaying the object in a second format if the time isa second time.

According to various examples, the operation of providing the contentsmay include an operation of providing the contents to at least a partialregion of the region.

According to various examples, the contents include a sound, and theproviding of the contents may include an operation of checking alocation of the region in the display, an operation of providing thesound in a first direction with respect to the electronic device if thelocation is a first location, and an operation of providing the sound ina second direction with respect to the electronic device if the locationis a second location.

According to various examples, the method of providing informationthrough the virtual environment may further include an operation ofobtaining another information obtained through another externalelectronic device for the electronic device, and an operation ofproviding other contents corresponding another information.

According to various examples, the providing of the contents may includean operation of providing the contents if the electronic device is wornby the user.

According to various examples, the contents may be provided to the userthrough at least one of the electronic device and the externalelectronic device.

According to various examples, the method of providing informationthrough the virtual environment may further include an operation ofcontrolling the external electronic device so that the contents areprevented from being provided through the external electronic device anylonger if the electronic device is attached onto the user.

According to various examples, the operation of controlling the externalelectronic device may include an operation of controlling the externalelectronic device so that the contents are provided to the user throughthe external electronic device if the electronic device is detached fromthe user of the electronic device.

According to various examples, the method of providing informationthrough the virtual environment may further include an operation ofstopping providing the contents based on external environmentinformation about the electronic device.

According to various examples, a method of providing information througha virtual environment may include an operation of displaying a pluralityof objects corresponding to a plurality of external electronic devices,respectively, for the electronic device through a display functionallyconnected with the electronic device, an operation of selecting at leastone object among the plurality of objects, an operation of obtaininginformation to be output by at least one external electronic devicecorresponding to at least one object among the plurality of externalelectronic device, and an operation of providing the contentscorresponding to the information in relation to a region, on which atleast one object is displayed.

According to various examples, the operation of displaying the pluralityof objects may include an operation of displaying a virtual environmentthrough the display, and an operation of displaying the plurality ofobjects within the virtual environment.

According to various examples, the method of providing informationthrough the virtual environment may further include an operation ofchanging the virtual environment to another virtual environment based onat least one input for the electronic device.

According to various examples, at least one object may be displayed on adesignated region of the virtual environment.

According to various examples, the contents may include first subcontents and second sub contents, and at least one object may include afirst object for outputting the first sub contents and a second objectfor outputting the second sub contents.

According to various examples, the plurality of objects may include afirst object and a second object, and the displaying of the plurality ofobjects may include an operation of outputting the first object based ona first frequency and an operation of outputting the second object basedon a second frequency.

According to various examples, the plurality of objects may include afirst object and a second object, and the operation of obtaining theinformation may include an operation of obtaining biometric informationabout a user of the electronic device, and an operation of determiningthe first object as at least one object if the biometric informationcorresponds to a first frequency, and an operation of determining thesecond object as at least one object if the biometric informationcorresponds to a second frequency.

According to various examples, the operation of obtaining theinformation may include an operation of determining at least one objectbased on at least one of the gaze and a gesture of the user for theelectronic device.

According to various examples, the operation of providing the contentsmay include an operation of providing a second part of output contentsthat is a next part of a first part of the contents previously outputthrough at least one external electronic device as the information.

According to various examples, the operation of providing the contentsmay include an operation of displaying a control menu for controllingthe information in relation to at least one contents through the region.

According to various examples, the method of providing informationthrough the virtual environment may further include an operation ofobtaining an input for another object among the plurality of objects,and an operation of transmitting at least a part of at least one contentor at least a part of additional information about at least one contentto another external electronic device so that at least the part of atleast one contents or at least the part of the additional information onat least one contents is provided through another external electronicdevice corresponding to another object based on the input.

According to various examples, in a storage medium storing commands, thecommands may be set to make one or more processors perform one or moreoperations if the commands are executed by the one or more processors,and the one or more operations may include an operation of displaying,by an electronic device (for example, the electronic device 101) througha display (for example, the display 170) functionally connected with theelectronic device, an operation of obtaining information to be outputthrough at least one external electronic device, and an operation ofproviding contents corresponding to the information, respectively,through a region, on which at least one object is displayed.

The examples of the disclosure disclosed herein and drawings suggest theexamples for plainly explaining the contents of the technology of thedisclosure and helping the understanding of the disclosure, and do notlimit the scope of the disclosure. Therefore, in addition to theexamples disclosed herein, the scope of the various embodiments of thedisclosure should be construed to include all modifications or modifiedforms drawn based on the technical idea of the various embodiments ofthe disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electronic device, comprising: a display; andan information providing processing circuitry functionally connectedwith the display, wherein the information providing processing circuitryis configured to display an object corresponding to an externalelectronic device for the electronic device through the display, toobtain information to be output through the external electronic device,and to provide contents corresponding to the information in relation toa region, on which the object is displayed.
 2. The electronic device ofclaim 1, wherein the information providing processing circuitry isconfigured to check a plurality of external electronic devices for theelectronic device, and to select an external electronic device among theplurality of external electronic devices based on at least one of areceived input or functions of the plurality of external electronicdevices.
 3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the informationproviding processing circuitry is configured to check a plurality ofexternal electronic devices for the electronic device, and to determinea currently operated external electronic device among the plurality ofexternal electronic devices as the external electronic device.
 4. Theelectronic device of claim 1, wherein at least one object includes atleast one of an image corresponding to an appearance of the externalelectronic device, an icon corresponding to the external electronicdevice, and text corresponding to the external electronic device.
 5. Theelectronic device of claim 1, wherein the information providingprocessing circuitry is configured to obtain a relative location of theexternal electronic device with respect to the electronic device, theinformation providing processing circuitry is configured to display theobject on a first region of the display if the relative location is afirst location, and the information providing processing circuitry isconfigured to display the object on a second region of the display ifthe relative location is a second location.
 6. The electronic device ofclaim 1, wherein the information providing processing circuitry isconfigured to check a time, for which gaze of a user for the electronicdevice stays on the object, and the information providing processingcircuitry is further configured to display the object in a first formatif the time is a first time, and the information providing processingcircuitry is configured to display the object in a second format if thetime is a second time.
 7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein theinformation providing processing circuitry is configured to provide thecontents to provide to at least a partial region of the region.
 8. Theelectronic device of claim 1, wherein the contents include a sound, andthe information providing processing circuitry is configured to check alocation of the region in the display, and to provide the sound in afirst direction with respect to the electronic device if the location isa first location, and to provide the sound in a second direction withrespect to the electronic device if the location is a second location.9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the information providingprocessing circuitry is configured to obtain another informationobtained through another external electronic device for the electronicdevice, and to provide other contents corresponding to said anotherinformation.
 10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein theinformation providing processing circuitry is configured to provide thecontents if the electronic device is worn.
 11. The electronic device ofclaim 1, wherein the contents are set to be provided through at leastone of the electronic device and the external electronic device.
 12. Theelectronic device of claim 11, wherein the information providingprocessing circuitry is configured to control the external electronicdevice so that the contents are prevented from being provided throughthe external electronic device if the electronic device is attached ontothe user.
 13. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the informationproviding processing circuitry is configured to control the externalelectronic device so that the contents are provided through the externalelectronic device if the electronic device is detached from the user ofthe electronic device.
 14. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein theinformation providing processing circuitry is configured to stopproviding the contents based on external environment information aboutthe electronic device.
 15. A method of sharing information by anelectronic device, comprising: displaying a plurality of objectscorresponding to a plurality of external electronic devices for theelectronic device, respectively, through a display functionallyconnected with the electronic device; selecting one or more objectsamong the plurality of objects; obtaining information to be output byone or more external electronic devices corresponding to the one or moreobjects among the plurality of external electronic devices; andproviding contents corresponding to the information in relation to aregion, on which the one or more objects are displayed.
 16. The methodof claim 15, wherein displaying comprises: displaying a virtualenvironment through the display; and displaying the plurality of objectswithin the virtual environment.
 17. The method of claim 16, furthercomprising: changing the virtual environment to another virtualenvironment based on at least one input for the electronic device. 18.The method of claim 16, wherein the one or more objects are displayed ona designated region of the virtual environment.
 19. The method of claim15, wherein the contents include first sub contents and second subcontents, and the one or more objects include a first object foroutputting the first sub contents and a second object for outputting thesecond sub contents.
 20. The method of claim 15, wherein the pluralityof objects includes a first object and a second object, and displayingcomprises: outputting the first object based on a first frequency; andoutputting the second object based on a second frequency.
 21. The methodof claim 15, wherein the plurality of objects includes a first objectand a second object, and obtaining comprises: obtaining biometricinformation; determining the first object as the one or more objects ifthe biometric information corresponds to the first frequency; anddetermining the second object as the one or more objects if thebiometric information corresponds to the second frequency.
 22. Themethod of claim 15, wherein obtaining comprises: determining the one ormore objects based on at least one of a gaze and a gesture of the userof the electronic device.
 23. The method of claim 15, wherein providingcomprises: providing a second part of output contents that is a nextpart of a first part of the contents previously output through the oneor more external electronic devices as the information.
 24. The methodof claim 15, wherein providing comprises: displaying a control menu forcontrolling the information in relation to the one or more contentsthrough the region.
 25. The method of claim 15, further comprising:obtaining an input for another object among the plurality of objects;and transmitting at least a part of the one or more contents oradditional information about the one or more contents to anotherexternal electronic device so that the part of the one or more contentsor the additional information about the one or more contents areprovided to another external electronic device corresponding to anotherobject.
 26. A computer readable recording medium recording a program forexecuting: displaying one or more objects corresponding to one or moreexternal electronic devices for the electronic device through a displayfunctionally connected with the electronic device; obtaining informationto be output through the one or more external electronic devices; andproviding contents corresponding to the information, respectively, inrelation to a region, on which the one or more objects are is displayed.